Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 7
In the deodorant-can “torch” story linked to Matthew 7:7, Brian said seeking means using all resources and thinking outside the box; how do you discern the line between faithful “seeking” and pragmatic problem-solving that subtly replaces dependence on God with technique?
Another way to ask: How do you know when you are truly “seeking” God (Matthew 7:7) and when you are just trying clever fixes? Where might problem-solving replace depending on God?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Brian frames “seeking” as active pursuit—using available resources and widening perspective—without presenting it as replacing God. The transcript doesn’t give a precise boundary line, but it implies dependence on God remains central when you’re seeking His help and direction while also doing the hard, practical work in front of you.
- He quotes Matthew 7:7: “Ask… Seek… Knock,” and calls his lesson: “we need to seek.”
- He connects seeking to action: “use all of our resources,” and avoid “tunnel vision” when perspective gets small.
- The fire problem: after “two or three or five rainy days,” all wood was wet; they spent “over an hour” trying to start a fire.
- The solution came from an unexpected resource: a boy found “a can of deodorant,” which became a “torch” to start the fire.
- He interprets it as a life lesson: “think out of the box to resolve the situation… Maybe a can of deodorant is actually a solution.”